U.S. Homework Outsourced As 'E-tutoring' Grows

by Reuters - September 29th, 2006 - C/Net News.com

Private tutors are a luxury many American families cannot afford, costing anywhere between $25 and $100 an hour. But California mother Denise Robison found one online for $2.50 an hour--in India.

"It's made the biggest difference. My daughter is literally at the top of every single one of her classes and she has never done that before," said Robison, a single mother from Modesto.

Her 13-year-old daughter, Taylor, is one of 1,100 Americans enrolled in Bangalore-based TutorVista.com, which launched U.S. services last November with a staff of 150 "e-tutors" mostly in India with a fee of $100 a month for unlimited hours.

Taylor took two-hour sessions each day for five days a week in math and English--a cost that tallies to $2.50 an hour, a fraction of the $40 an hour charged by U.S.-based online tutors such as market leader Tutor.com . . . .

This is why we MUST get high speed broadband in Bertie County, and all other areas of the Inner Banks as well. Distance Learning is just one of the changes in our world that mean our local citizens can keep up with anyone . . . IF we have high speed broadband Internet. "E-tutoring" is one example of why I keep touting distance learning as a key to solving our education problems.

Access to tutors that can explain things so any child can understand is now a trivial expense. There is no need for the tutor to live anywhere near the Inner Banks. With the Internet and a little practice you can chat or talk with an expert any time you want, 24 hours a day. $2.50 an hour? Who cannot afford a tutor at that rate? In fact TutorVista.com is currently running a special of $49.99 a month for unlimited hours, which with regular use is about $1.00 per hour. $1 per HOUR!

For as long as education has existed the rich have had the advantage that their children can get a tutor anytime they fall behind. Alexander the Great was tutored by Aristotle 2,000 years ago. Now anyone can take advantage of tutors. Why should our children be last in the state when we can provide them access to tutors?